The present invention relates to an automatic injection syringe assembly having an integrated and fillable medicine container, such as a medicine cartridge.
The utility of automatic injection syringes collectively referred to as “autoinjectors” is to facilitate the onboard storage of a fluid medicament within a mechanism that provides an easy-to-use and automatic administration of an injectable drug solution or suspension. Often, such autoinjectors are provided with the drug pre-loaded into a syringe element or canister that has been prepared under sterile conditions at a factory. In other applications, the user prepares the drug solution and autoinjector just prior to administration of the injection. The former option depends on the pharmaceutical manufacturer to undertake a time consuming and expensive process to gain regulatory approval for the drug/autoinjector combination before that product can be marketed. Examples of such devices are the EpiPen® manufactured by Meridian Medical Technologies, Inc., Humira® manufactured by Owen Mumford Ltd. exclusively for Abbott Laboratories, Inc. and the SureClick® system marketed by Scandinavian Health Limited.
In most circumstances, a user has no options for dose adjustment, given that the product is sold as a “standardized unit dose” i.e., the dose is established at the factory. Thus, the “pre-filled” option does not afford any flexibility to the user. Moreover, only a limited number of therapeutic applications pass the financial hurdles that would justify a pharmaceutical manufacturer's decision to undertake a combination product program for a pre-loaded autoinjector. Such products offer the advantages of ease-of-use, as there is minimal preparation involved. Most products of such sort are single-use disposable items, a valuable convenience and safety afforded to an injecting patient.
Accordingly, there is still a need for an autoinjector having an easy to use and fillable medicine container that allows a user to easily fill the medicine container and adjust the dosage of the autoinjector in a cost effective, safe and economical manner. The present embodiments of the invention meet this need.